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Post by Kiersten on Jan 8, 2024 23:44:48 GMT -6
Cedrick felt slightly bad that she caught his grimace, but it was his true feelings, “Well, may not be for me, but if you can make it work.” Thinking if she wanted to spend more time rescuing animals, she could if she had help caring for things here.
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Post by Bri on Jan 8, 2024 23:59:58 GMT -6
"I definitely try to. I have a goal of turning the sun room into, well, a dog room." She told him, "the flooring in there is a lot easier to clean." She told him, thinking of her ever growing to-do list that she was determined to finish some day. "I just want to make them comfortable for the rest of their lives." Ari added, knowing they could go at any time, especially the older ones.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 9, 2024 22:31:31 GMT -6
“Another to do huh,” Cedrick pointed out, knowing he had the same issues before, often wanting to do everything, but not having the time for it. “That isn’t hard, food, a bed, water, comfort, love. I think they can get all that.” He figured that’s all they needed after living in the shelter.
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Post by Bri on Jan 9, 2024 23:19:49 GMT -6
"It's a never ending list." Ari smiled a little, feeling a bit of relief when they got closer to the house, she was starting to get a little familiar with the light headed feeling coming up at different times and it was starting to come up again. "Yeah, the sun room just needs a little bit better insulation and the fence needs some patching up to make me feel better." She explained, the barking getting louder the nearer they got. "But it all works for now." She added.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 10, 2024 18:49:51 GMT -6
Cedrick nodded, guessing she had a long list of things she’d like done around her house, something she’d have to give up for someone else to do, or have it sit forever on a list till she had time. “Well, have you gotten quotes for anything?” He was feeling her out some more, seeing how far she was in the process.
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Post by Bri on Jan 10, 2024 19:04:56 GMT -6
"I do actually, when I first moved out here it was empty except for the house so when I got the rehab and the barn built I got an estimate for everything I wanted to do regarding that and the sun room...and basement." She said, it was just a matter of making enough money to cover it so she wouldn't depleate her savings and be able to handle her other bills.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 10, 2024 21:02:00 GMT -6
Cedrick nodded, hearing the dogs growing louder and louder the closer they got, dread rising in him at the same rate. He always tried not to judge other people’s homes, but dirt, hair, and grime was something he always feared going into other places. “Alright, have you ever thought about making a gofundme page?” It was the easiest way to get funding, she surely would get some that way if she marketed it right.
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Post by Bri on Jan 10, 2024 22:59:00 GMT -6
"I've heard of it but...I'm not really sure how to word things to make people...want to donate." She said, she had no problem writing reports that were straight to the point but flowery language wasn't something she was that good at writing. "Here, we can go in through the front door." She said as she lead him up the gravel path and onto a small front porch, unlocking the door and leading him inside. The door opened up into a wide hall that had a stair way on the left, a small nook built in underneath it that had coat hooks and a place for shoes and on the right was a closed door and straight back was a living room and kitchen with a sun room attached on the far wall, that wall basically being a big window with a sliding door and behind it were where all her dogs were, some running back and forth, some playing with toys, and others curled up in their beds. The home was relatively empty and decorated with wild life decor but also framed pictures of Ari's family and some of her from when she worked at the zoo, a time that felt like ages ago. It wasn't necessarily messy but there were some things scattered about and dishes hadn't been done. Ari looked at Cedrick with a sheepish smile. "Sorry for the mess....uhm, I can let the dogs out first and then we can fill their dishes in the sun room." She told him, heading straight to the sun room and cracked open the door but as she walked in a dauschand ran through, barking and running in circles around Cedrick. Fergus, M ![](https://cdn.britannica.com/15/234215-050-140D3D84/Wirehaired-dachshund-dog.jpg) Nellie, F ![](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/mixed-breed-dog-portrait-royalty-free-image-1154295393-1563379374.jpg?crop=0.47619xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:*) Banjo, M ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Heterochromia_in_a_mutt_dog.jpg) Crouton, M ![](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a1/97/bc/a197bce5b7cebb0a5315ff633d72d203--for-her-greyhound.jpg) Sir, M ![](https://www.handicappedpets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Clancey-12.jpg) Marmot, M ![](https://hazelridgevet.com/uploads/SiteAssets/772/images/about/pet-mobility.jpg) Maybell, F ![](https://toegrips.com/wp-content/uploads/backlegs-german-shep.jpg) Chance, M ![](https://gardensforgoldens.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/royce_dsc_3476.jpg)
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 11, 2024 19:02:29 GMT -6
Cedrick frowned when she mentioned unable to word things so that people would donate, “I think you just need to state the facts, you have a rehab, you need money to maintain it, bring in help, and so more animals can be rescued and rehabilitated.” He stated as if it was just that easy, though in his mind the gofundme page didn’t need to be flowery, “Then, when you get enough donations, hire someone to make the website all pretty,” It’s what he would do in her situation. Cedrick followed her into her house, taking a deep breath and holding it for a few minutes in preparation for his germaphobe side, he tried not to look at everything, but unfortunately everything was catching his eye. “It’s a home,” was his only comment about the place, mostly because he knew he wouldn’t be satisfied with anyone’s home. He watched with slight horror as a dachshund came running out at him, though the fear didn’t last long before he reached down to let the dog sniff his hand. “Hello.”
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Post by Bri on Jan 11, 2024 19:30:20 GMT -6
Ari nodded along to what he said but still found her lacking some self confidence. "I should try it then...the worst that happens is that no one donates." She shrugged. She looked back at the dog, Fergus, as he ran around Cedrick and shook her head slightly but was smiling. She turned her attention back to the other dogs and opened the slider outside, letting them funnel out then started to pick up the discarded toys and beds, stacking them in a corner then got a broom from a closet in the sun room and started to sweep up the floor. Fergus sniffed at Cedrick, licking his hand before spinning in a circle then ran to the fridge, sitting in front of it, staring at a jar on top of it then looked back at Cedrick with almost a conspiratorial look.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 11, 2024 21:48:19 GMT -6
Cedrick couldn’t help but smile when she said she would try. “At least you might get enough to pay for a better website, maybe set up a donation there.” It never hurt to try, and it always made him happy when people were willing to. He looked around the room where the dogs had just occupied and couldn’t stop the sigh. “I don’t know how you do it but tell me where to help.” That was what he was there for after all, not to just gawk at someone’s home. He looked down at the dachshund who ran at him, and then the jar that he assumed had treats in it. “I have a feeling I’ll be your best friend, but I’m not easily swayed.” He informed the little dog, not planning to give any treats unless Ari told him it was alright.
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Post by Bri on Jan 11, 2024 22:35:37 GMT -6
Fergus's eyes seemed to narrow on Cedrick as he seemed to decide to give him a treat. The dog huffed but Ari looked up, catching the dog by the fridge and shook her head, "Fergus! No treats, go outside!" She called, the little dog grumbling as he got up and trotted out to Ari, going outside when she opened the door. Once he was outside Ari turned to Cedrick, her gaze softening slightly in appreciation from his offer to help, especially since she could tell he was feeling out of his element. "It would be wonderful if you could clean the dog bowls and law them out on the kitchen island so they're ready for me to fill." She said, gesturing to the stack of bowls in the corner of the sun room then went back to sweep, dumping the dirt and hair into a trash can then brought out a mop, which she filled with warm water and cleaner then started to mop the floors of the sun room.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 12, 2024 21:43:46 GMT -6
“Ah, see. I knew not to give in.” Cedrick wasn’t about to cause problems when he wasn’t able to fix. He nodded his head at her request and started grabbing bowls and headed for the sink. He started the water to warm it up and rolled up his sleeves before getting to work on washing and drying each bowl. He then went into overdrive like he always did and moved onto cleaning the counter, the sink, the splash back behind it, and then, he saw the winows and didn't hesitate to start clearing off all the slobber.
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Post by Bri on Jan 13, 2024 0:21:08 GMT -6
"He always tries to beg people for treats," Ari laughed from the sun room, "but he's on a strict diet right now." She added before focusing back in on her work, doing her best to get it as clean as possible and laid out the beds in their spots, each one embroidered with a dogs name. Once she was done she took the trash outside to the larger cans then went back inside, heading into the kitchen to get started on the food but froze when she saw what Cedrick had done, having not stopped at the dishes. Her eyes went wide as she took it all in, feeling her eyes prick a little bit but blinked them back. "W-what are you doing?"
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 13, 2024 13:06:44 GMT -6
“Probably for the best, I’ve read Dachshunds can have bad back issues.” Cedrick would sometimes go into a deep dive when he started researching something and would randomly end up learning some odd fact. He couldn’t remember how he got to the Dachshund page, but he learned a lot about the breed and knew how stubborn that one could be. He slowly stopped cleaning the windows, it suddenly dawned on him that he had gone overboard at some random person’s place, again. “Ah… I got carried away.” He admitted, clearing his throat as he finished cleaning the one window he’d been working on and set the supplies to the side.
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Post by Bri on Jan 13, 2024 15:30:02 GMT -6
Ari looked around, blinking quickly as she tried to look at it in a different way, it did seem like it had been an innocent. "Well...it looks really good," she finally said then mustered a teasing smile. "How much would you charge to clean the rest of the house?" She asked as she headed into the kitchen, opening a pantry that held dog food and busied herself with preparing a meal for each dog, having out a binder that held the instructions for each dog, though she rarely glanced at it as she went, switching over into autopilot.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 13, 2024 16:14:57 GMT -6
Cedrick stared at Ari, her mouth dropping open, though he forced it closed quickly. “Ah, well in college I charged two hundred, though that was boy college dorms.” He had a sweet cleaning business honestly, because he informed guys that girls liked clean rooms. He thought his dad would be amazed that he was already earning a large amount of cash, but his father only thought it was a silly business, despite that it was still being run by the kid he passed it down to after graduating. “A whole house? Depends on how messy I guess.” He shrugged his shoulders as he watched her move in what he assumed was a ritual she knew by heart.
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Post by Bri on Jan 13, 2024 17:09:27 GMT -6
Ari paused to look at him, not thinking that he would have a serious response. "Well I think I'd like it mainly for down here, it gets a little...wild and I don't have a lot of time to clean as much as I want to." She admitted, thinking she could let herself to put forth money towards cleaning, and if if it wasn't him he might know of a different cleaning service in town. "But I'm just kidding, I'm sure you're busy." She said, carrying one of the bowls into the sun room and called over one of the dogs, keeping the rest outside as a St. Bernard in a wheel chair ambled inside and started to eat.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 13, 2024 19:42:50 GMT -6
Cedrick dropped all conversations about cleaning when the big dog came in, “What happened to him?” He asked, wondering if it was a car accident, a disease, something congenital. He watched the dogs running around outside, happy to just not be locked up in the shelter forever.
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Post by Bri on Jan 13, 2024 23:16:41 GMT -6
Ari looked down at the dog, her gaze softening as she reached down and scratched behind his ears, being rewarded with a groaning grumble. "Sir was an owner surrender. He got hit by a car and due to his age and everything his owner couldn't afford the surgery and they were a bit elderly as well and weren't prepared to take care of a disabled dog so...I said I'd take him and I did the surgery." She explained, knowing it had all been risky but she couldn't just sit aside and do nothing when an animal needed help.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 13, 2024 23:43:30 GMT -6
Cedrick stared at her when she told the story, raising his eyebrows at how she basically gave him a second chance, even if he was in a wheelchair. “Wow, and how long ago was that?” He wondered if the old owners thought of him, and even though it wasn’t him who had given the dog up, he couldn’t help but think what if thy hadn’t. "Did you have your own practice at the time, or did you do the surgery at the shelter?" he had heard Vets taking advantage for their pets and their employee pets when surgery was necessary, but he couldn't imagine her having a surgery sweet here.
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Post by Bri on Jan 14, 2024 0:29:16 GMT -6
Ari looked back at him, unsure what the look on his face was saying but felt a little nervous. "Um, probably a year or so ago." She said, knowing the exact date was in the files that she kept in her study. "I did everything at the shelter, it's on my to do list, or I guess, my want list includes having a center set up here where I can do the veterinary work instead of having to travel back and forth. Especially if something happened with one of my exotics and I couldn't get them to the zoo to use their facility or have someone come out here." In her mind, if she could everything here she wouldn't have to leave, which would make everything much simpler and streamline. Once Sir was done eating he meandered around the sun room before going to the back door. Ari let him out and called for the other dogs, the two other seniors walking inside and she laid out their food bowls for them.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 14, 2024 0:52:03 GMT -6
“Well, sounds like you have thought about this to the last detail,” Which made Cedrick smile because he knew that would help in getting the place further along. “Have you thought about adopting another dog?” he teased, watching all the dogs file back into the sun room and to their specific food bowl, a little impressed they knew which one was theirs.
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Post by Bri on Jan 14, 2024 1:10:09 GMT -6
"Oh, I have a lot of things planned out, it's all stored in the study," Ari told him, she had plans drawn out with estimated quotes from contractors, written out plans, and several notebooks filled with ideas and lists of what she needed and what she would like to have and did have a business plan written out but was sure that it could use a lot of fine tuning. She watched the dogs eat but turned to look at Cedrick, a smile curling on her lips, "they usually adopt me." She partially joked, feeling like the moment she smoothed out her life a wrench got thrown into it. As the dogs finished eating she took the empty bowls and set them on the kitchen island.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 14, 2024 11:20:22 GMT -6
Cedrick felt his phone in his pocket and pulled it out, smirking at the message from his accountant, at least he might have some good news for her. “Well, if you want to get all that information together, I have an accountant you can speak with, hopefully to get started on something.” He was sure they could even help with the gofundme page if she wanted. He turned his attention back to the dogs, eyeing the freshly dirty bowls on the counter, and his itch to watch them was immediate. “Have you tried adopting any back out?” he wasn’t sure if she had tried and failed to find homes for them all.
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Post by Bri on Jan 14, 2024 16:11:50 GMT -6
Ari looked up at Cedrick as she carried the last bowl inside, setting it on the island. "That would...be really great," she admitted and smiled a little, "the house might be a little chaotic but my study is actually really organized." Her gaze followed his and she shook her head, "no...not this group, I feel like this is where they belong." She said, her smile turning a bit sheepish, "I guess you could call them foster fails, which," she glanced back at the dogs, "I have to get Sir settled in and give a few of them their medications...do you might cleaning the bowls again?"
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 14, 2024 17:47:44 GMT -6
Cedrick was a little shocked she seemed so open to meeting someone, but maybe he got to her about it, at least he hoped he inspired her. He texted his accountant to see his availability, knowing they had things to go over with the Arcade anyways. He perked up when she asked if he could clean the bowls which he did without saying yes, eager to get started. “Let me know when you have some… Time to meet the accountant.” He didn’t even look up as he cleaned the bowls.
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Post by Bri on Jan 14, 2024 18:20:42 GMT -6
Ari smiled a little at how quickly he went back into cleaning before going back and tending to the dogs. She helped Sir out of his wheel chair and got him settled into his bed then gave a few of the dogs their medicines, talking to them softly and making sure to give each of them some attention before moving onto the next. When she was done she left the door separating the house from the sun room open and went back to the kitchen. "Uhm," she took out her phone, opening the calendar app and going through it with a small frown, "I could always meet during one of my lunches or I could make some room on a Thursday to meet."
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 14, 2024 20:47:52 GMT -6
Cedrick finished washing the dishes and cleaning the counter once again when she came back, looking at her phone at what he assumed was a calendar. He thought about his own schedule, knowing he could easily make time, but he’d have to find out when his accountant could visit. “I’ll see when my accountant can meet, he hasn’t responded yet.” Though it could be a day or two before he found out. “But I have your number and can let you know dates.” He hoped the universe lined up perfectly.
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Post by Bri on Jan 14, 2024 21:12:38 GMT -6
"Okay, I'll figure out a way to make it work." Ari smiled a little and put her phone back into her pocket, "thank you for all of the help, it really made today easier...despite the head trauma." She joked, leaning against the counter with her hip.
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